Effects of Conflict on Family: Analysis

Have you ever witnessed you parents fighting? Even to the point of separation? If so, maybe it has possibly affected you, or it is effecting you right now.

“Children are affected by marital conflict through both direct and indirect pathways. In terms of children’s psychological functioning, exposure to repeated instances of destructive marital conflict has been linked with internalizing problems such as depression and low self-esteem, externalizing problems such as delinquency and aggression, and declines in academic performance, social and interpersonal adjustment, and general mental health” (Faircloth 2).

I remember that it hurt. It hurt so much that I didn’t even realize it till it started taking over my life. At the age of 13, I started to witness my parents argue everyday. I was going through some changes in my life that every teenager goes through, I was growing up. I started to analyze the world around me in a different way. I was taking in information and experiences that would shape me into the person that I am today. For so many years I ignored what was going on at home. I didn’t realize the constant conflict was damaging me. My mom knew that he was being unfaithful. I chose to ignore the situations at home and just focus on school. A couple of years passed and suddenly my dad was gone. He explained nothing to no one and all he did was deny everything. The man everyone respected was unfaithful. I never cried, I never argued that they should be together. Little did I know; I was fooling myself. My experience with my parents separating and seeing how it affected my family changed me. I was secretly miserable. I completely gave up on myself for two whole years. I stopped trying in School and I stopped attending school. ...

... middle of paper ...

...ance of it affecting the children. Second, couples therapy is also an option that many couples don’t look into but should. Third, Socializing with other couples can is extremely helpful. To sum up, all these solutions can all lead to positive results.

Can you forgive? Carrying a grudge for a long time makes life more difficult. We all know how that feels, so we just need acceptance. Accept some of the effects. In my case, I accepted the fact that that my father had started a new life with a wife and kids. I also accepted that he hurt my mother and that he hurt us too. Forgiveness and acceptance allows us to move on. Moving on will help us live healthier lives. On the other hand, sometimes divorce is the better option. You can cause more harm than good if you stay together because being with a person you don not want to be with anymore just creates more problems.